ormed the captive that
he might choose between forfeiting his head, and that which grew upon
it. As to the precise words in which the Northern warrior couched his
reply, historians vary; but they are agreed on the important point
that his head was chopped off without delay!

Did the memory of these things bring no blush to Balder's cheeks?
There he sat, as indifferent, to all outward seeming, as though he
were asleep. But this may have been the apathy consequent on the
abandonment of lofty pretensions and sublime ambitions; betraying
proud sensitiveness rather than base lack of feeling. Balder Helwyse
was not the first man of parts to appear in an undignified and
unheroic light. The foremost man of all this world once whined like a
sick girl for his physic, and preposterously overestimated his
swimming powers; yet his greatness found him out!

In sober earnest, however, what real importance attaches to Helwyse's
doings at this juncture? Physically and mentally weary, he may have
acted from the most ordinary motives. As to his entertaining any
superstitious crotchets about having his hair cut,--the spirit of the
age forbid it!

XIII.

THROUGH A GLASS.

The hair-dresser had the quality--now rare among his class--of
unlimited and self-enjoying loquacity; soothing, because its little
waves lapsed in objectless prattle on the beach of the apprehension,
to be attended to or not at pleasure. The sentences were without
regular head or tail, and were connected by a friendly arrangement
between themselves, rather than by any logical sequence; while the
recurring pauses at interesting epochs of work wrought a recognition
of how caressing had been the easy voice, and accumulated a lazy
disposition to hear it continue.

After decking Helwyse for the sacrifice, he had murmured
confidentially in his ear, "Hair, sir?--or beard, sir?--or
both?--little of both, sir? Just so. Hair first, please, sir. Love-ly
morning!"

And thereupon began to clip and coo and whisk softly about, in the
highest state of barberic joy. As he worked, inspired by the curly,
flowing glossy locks which, to his eye, called inarticulately for the
tools of his trade, his undulating monologue welled forth until
Coleridge might have envied him. Helwyse heard the sound, but let the
words go by to that unknown limbo whither all sounds, good or bad,
have been flying since time began.

By and by the hair was done; there ensued a plying of brushes, a
b